Reviewed by Becca
TITLE: Teach Me to Touch You
SERIES: Teach Me #1
AUTHOR: Joshua Landon
PUBLISHER: self- published
LENGTH: 100 pages
RELEASE DATE: December 23, 2018
BLURB:
Austin’s father deserts his young family, leaving Austin and his sister to struggle with poverty and neglect at home and bullying at school. When Austin’s first girlfriend kisses him in high school, he suffers a PTSD flashback to childhood abuse and scares his girlfriend away.
A Marine at eighteen, Austin returns home after four years with his PTSD aggravated by nightmares of war. He fears he’ll never have a sex life because he cannot tolerate human touch.
Daniel, a psychiatric technician with a speciality in PTSD, helps Austin readjust to civilian life. Over months of work together, trust grows between them along with an attraction they hide from each other, knowing Austin is straight and Daniel is gay.
A gifted healer, Daniel believes a sexual relationship between them could harm Austin since he’s Daniel’s client, though Austin is anxious to learn to touch again. But when their visits are scheduled to end, and separation looms, both men must deeply examine their concerns and untangle their desires for the future.
(Note: This book contains material that may be disturbing to some readers, including strong language, child sexual abuse, and consensual gay sexual situations. It is recommended for adult readers.)
REVIEW:
Please make note of the author’s note at the bottom of the blurb. It deals heavily with sexual child abuse and PTSD from it and then PTSD from the military. It deals with flashbacks, panic attacks, fear from being touched and more. So please be careful if any of this is a trigger to you.
This was …she’s. It was a heavy book. A lot to deal with but it was exceptional. So well written. And it’s so real. What happened to Austin, unfortunately happens daily. Whether it be sexual abuse or PTSD from the military or both like with him. So even though it has an HFN, there’s always work to be done. Always issues to overcome. Some never get overcome, they just get better at dealing with them.
In this story, that’s the case. Austin is referred to a specialist that deals with PTSD by his psychiatrist. Daniel has been working hard at helping people for years. Getting joy from helping others. When he meets Austin, he’s eager to help but realizes he may need to use a few techniques he hasn’t used in a while. Such as touch therapy. Since touch is so hard for Austin and often triggers attacks. Little by little, they work through his issues. It’s an everyday battle. Not something that goes away in a day. And even on a good day, there can be bad that happens. But Austin works hard at trying to be better. He ends up with his own place, finds a job, even though it makes him panic, and eventually is able to go to the store on his own without panicking. But for Austin, he’s always been straight. Until Daniel, that is. He still looks at women and thinks of himself as straight, but for Daniel he’s falling for him. The problem is Austin is Daniel’s client and Daniel has already crossed a few lines he shouldn’t have. But Daniel has fallen for Austin himself and can’t find a way to leave him. But how do they work around the professional angle to make it personal? That’s what they need to figure out.
I’ve seen people in Austin’s position before and it breaks my heart so bad. I have a cousin who was in Vietnam and to this day, he still has some bad flashbacks and nightmares and such. It’s so awful. For Austin, it was worse, yes. With being raped so young and bullied at school by having his pants shoved down and laughed at, by girls no less, has left him not being able to be touched with all the PTSD. Someone barely brushing him on the streets sends him into a panic. And I cried for him. And our military people. It’s so heartbreaking. But I was happy he got someone like Daniel, who knew little things he could do to help. He never pushed, or not too hard if necessary. He was so patient and caring. Making sure Austin was comfortable and knew he was safe. I know that he fell for Austin but I appreciated the way he took care of him. Even when he was off the clock. He helped give Austin the confidence to be who he could be without fear. Not everyday, mind you, but it was a start. And everyday was getting better.
This is such a good story. Like I said, it’s heavy. But it’s so worth it. It’s a beautiful story in the end. Well all through, really. Because it takes a hell of a lot of strength and courage to face your fears and move forward.
RATING:
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